The Pittsburgh Steelers are now less than 90 minutes away from kickoff in their game at Acrisure Stadium for the 2023 season. Coming off three-straight losses, the Steelers are looking to get back on the winning track and stay out of the AFC North basement.

As is always the case, 90 minutes before kickoff is when teams must announce their inactive list for the upcoming game. With 48 players active for each team, the number of players on the inactive list depends on if a team makes any practice squad elevations. With the Steelers elevating two practice squad players yesterday and having 53 players on the roster, they have seven inactives as the Bengals have seven players on their inactive list as well.

New to the 2023 season is a modified return of the “third quarterback rule.” Every NFL team who has a third quarterback on their 53-man roster will include him on their inactive list, but he is designated as a third quarterback and is therefore in uniform in case of injury to the two players ahead of him on the depth chart. But if one of the players is deemed healthy enough to return, the third quarterback goes back to their role on the sideline. For the third time this season, the Steelers have not used this option.

Here are the seven players inactive for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Week 16 matchup against the Bengals according to Steelers.com.

Steelers Inactives

No. 8 QB Kenny Pickett
No. 17 S Trenton Thompson
No. 21 CB Darius Rush
No. 39 S Minkah Fitzpatrick
No. 40 LB Blake Martinez
No. 60 T Dylan Cook
No. 98 DE DeMarvin Leal

For the third time this season, Mason Rudolph is not on the list as he will be today’s starting quarterback. Instead, Kenny Pickett will miss his third-straight game due to his ankle injury. Joining Pickett on the list is the typical offensive lineman position as Dylan Cook has been on the list for all but two games this season.

Two other players ruled out for the game were safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Trenton Thompson who are both obviously on the list. With so many safeties out for the game, the Steelers called up Eric Rowe from the practice squad. With an additional player in the seconday, along with the return of Elijah Riley from the Reserved/Injured List (IR), cornerback Darius Rush once again on the inactive list.

With the return on Montravius Adams on the defensive line two games ago, the Steelers went with DeMarvin Leal on the inactive list the first time and Isaiahh Loudermilk last week. For Week 16, it’s back to DeMarvin Leal who is inactive for the Steelers.

The player on the inactive list for the Steelers in Week 16 is linebacker Blake Martinez. Inactive last week as well, it appeared as if it was a “two dogs, one bone” for the other inside linebacker spot between Martinez and Myles Jack. With Jack being elevated from the practice squad on Friday, it’s Martinez who does not get the helmet.

As for the Bengals inactive list, it can be seen below courtesy of Steelers.com.

Bengals Inactives

No. 1 WR Ja’Marr Chase
No. 25 RB Chris Evans
No. 56 LB Devin Harper
No. 63 C Trey Hill
No. 70 OT D’Ante Smith
No. 81 TE Irv Smith
No. 90 DT Travis Bell